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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka "The Grip of Fear" )

 

directed by Blake Edwards
USA 1962

 

Writer/ director Blake Edwards followed up the enormous success of the chic and sophisticated Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) with a decided change-of-pace: Experiment in Terror (1962), a Neo-Noir character-driven thriller featuring non-clichéd, nuanced performances from Lee Remick, Glenn Ford, and Ross Martin as a calculating psychopath. It was the first film Blake produced as well as directed, and his first effort to be filmed in black-and-white.

The film boasts one of the most memorable opening scenes of any thriller: Kelly Sherwood (Lee Remick), an attractive single woman living in the suburbs of San Francisco, drives home from her job as a bank teller. After getting out of her Ford Fairlane convertible, she becomes aware of another person waiting for her in the dark of the garage; she hears a heavy asthmatic wheeze in his voice. The man grabs her from behind and, disturbingly, tells her, "I know a good deal about you, almost everything there is to know," and to prove it he recites her measurements.

Excerpt from TCM located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: 13 April 1962 (New York City, New York)

Reviews                                                                                   More Reviews                                                                        DVD Reviews

 

Comparison: 

Columbia Pictures - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC vs. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment - Region 2,4,5 - PAL vs. Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray vs. Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the DVD Review!

1) Columbia Pictures - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC LEFT

2) Sony Pictures Home Entertainment - Region 2,4,5 - PAL SECOND

3) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray RIGHT

 

Box Cover

 

 

 

 

Exact same as the UK edition:

 

 

Re-Re-released by Indicator on Blu-ray in November 2019:

Distribution

Columbia Pictures

Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Region 2,4,5 - PAL

Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime 2:03:16 1:58:16 (4% PAL Speedup) 2:03:21.435 2:03:20.851
Video

1.79:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 4.29 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1.79:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 4.68 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1080P / 23.976 fps Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 39,741,183,696 bytes

Feature: 38,087,743,488 bytes

Video Bitrate: 33.99

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

1080P / 23.976 fps Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 46,318,665,456 bytes

Feature: 41,531,379,072 bytes

Video Bitrate: 35.01

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate NTSC

Bitrate PAL

Bitrate: Twilight Time Blu-ray

Bitrate: Indicator Blu-ray

Audio Dolby Digital 2.0 (English) Dolby Digital 2.0 (English), Dolby Digital 2.0 (German), Dolby Digital 2.0 (Italian) DTS-HD Master Audio English 3094 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3094 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
DTS-HD Master Audio English 1780 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1780 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)

LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit
DTS-HD Master Audio English 2828 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 2828 kbps / 24-bit
(DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit)
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Isolated Score:

LPCM Audio Undetermined 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit

Subtitles English, Japanese, French, None English, English (SDH), German, Italian, Greek, Hindi, Portuguese, Turkish, None English (SDH), None English (SDH), None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Columbia Pictures

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.79:1

Edition Details:
• Experiment in Terror Trailer (2:49)
• The Big Heat Trailer (1:44)
• The Lady from Shanghai Trailer (1:49)

DVD Release Date: June 10th, 2003
Keep Case

Chapters 28

Release Information:
Studio: Columbia Pictures

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.79:1

Edition Details:
• None

DVD Release Date:
February 11th, 2010
Keep Case

Chapters 28

Release Information:
Studio:
Twilight Time

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
 

1080P / 23.976 fps Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 39,741,183,696 bytes

Feature: 38,087,743,488 bytes

Video Bitrate: 33.99

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:
• Isolated Score Track / Trailers and TV Spots

Limited Edition of 3,000 Units

Blu-ray Release Date:
January, 2013
Standard
Blu-ray Case

Chapters 28

Release Information:
Studio:
Indicator

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
 

1080P / 23.976 fps Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 46,318,665,456 bytes

Feature: 41,531,379,072 bytes

Video Bitrate: 35.01

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:
• 
Audio commentary by film critic Kim Morgan
• New and exclusive filmed interview with actor Stefanie Powers (2017,18:44)
• Isolated score
• Original theatrical trailer (2:23 + 2:49)
• TV spots (1:02 + 0:22)
• Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by critic Kim Morgan
UK Blu-ray premiere

Blu-ray Release Date:
April 24th, 2017
Transparent
Blu-ray Case

Chapters 12

 

 

 

 

Comments

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Indicator - Region FREE Blu-ray - April 2017: The Indicator is cited as being a "4K restoration from the original negative" (as is the Twilight Time.) While the static images may look quite similar the UK 1080P handles the grain a bit better and is marginally superior in-motion. It flat out looks better, although this would depend on your system and discerning eye.

Audio offer linear PCM mono (24-bit) or a 5.1 Surround bump in DTS-HD Master. I do like the uncompressed mono track although my ears couldn't easily differentiate from the Twilight Time. Both offer Isolated Scores and the option of English (SDH) subtitles.

Indicator vault ahead more definitively in the supplements with a rewarding audio commentary by film critic Kim Morgan and a new, 19-minute, exclusive filmed interview with actor Stefanie Powers discussing the film, Lee Remick etc. There is also trailers and TV Spots, plus the package includes a limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by critic Kim Morgan and a DVD of the feature with the same extras.

The Indicator goes the extra mile and is the definitive Blu-ray  edition for this, Blake Edwards, thriller. The film grows on you the more times you see it - especially Remick's performance. Incredible stuff...

 

ADDITION: Twilight Time - Region FREE Blu-ray - January 2013: The Twilight Time 1080P is dual-layered and the contrast improves although not as extensively as we have seen from other bumps to HD. The overall image is brighter and detail rises. It gives a very good presentation - as did both DVDs compared here. There is a smidgeon more information in the frame. This is a definite video upgrade - but not an overwhelming one due to the strength of the previous SD transfers.

The sound is via a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 bump at a robust 3094 kbps but there is no original 2.0 channel stereo option unless you chose the isolated score. The bump isn't poor but not crisply defined and the less - more authentic - option should have been given with the viewing presentation. Still the surround doesn't hurt the film but adds less than hoped. Twilight Time generously add an English subtitle option on their region FREE disc that is has a limited run of 3,000 copies.

Beyond access to the Isolated Score there are some trailers and TV Spots. Enjoyable film - Remick and Ford always impress. Experiment in Terror has a nice edge to it. Definitely worth watching!

***

ADDITION: Sony (Germany) - Region 2, 4, 5 - PAL (August 2010): Seems like the exact same strong, progressive, anamorphic and single-layered transfer. Even the menus are in English. Differences being:

1) a, converted, PAL transfer (see 4% faster running time)

2) Many subtitle and 2 foreign language DUB options

3) No trailers or extras of any kind

4) Subtitle font size and color (white as opposed to yellow)

 

That is about it. This is, undoubtedly, the same MovieMail edition available in the UK, but fans with region freedom should nab this as the NTSC is out-of-print. It may happen to this one as well...

Gary W. Tooze

***

Experiment in Terror is an excellent thriller from Columbia Pictures from 1962 that was shot utilizing some noir stylistics. Even better, it was released on DVD back in 2003 with an excellent transfer. The anamorphic image is slightly windowboxed (black bars on side edges) but it is not as extreme as on Criterion's full screen releases (to see how much it is, see the subtitle capture below against the white background). It is still a very impressive transfer with few marks and no prominent damage.

 

The Dolby Digital sound is adequate, but the large yellow subtitles provided are gaudy. The only extra is a trailer for this film and 2 other noirs from Columbia (The Big Heat and The Lady from Shanghai). Unfortunately, Sony Pictures took this disc out of print and now it is selling for a hefty price, but if you are lucky to find Experiment in Terror cheap, don't hesitate to snatch it up.

NOTE: There is an edition from MovieMail in the UK HERE but we have no details on it.

  - Gregory Meshman

 


DVD Menus
Columbia Pictures - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC LEFT vs. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment - Region 2,4,5 - PAL RIGHT

 

 

Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray

 

 

Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray

 


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Screen Captures

 

1) Columbia Pictures - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC TOP

2) Sony Pictures Home Entertainment - Region 2,4,5 - PAL MIDDLE

3) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

Subtitle sample


1) Columbia Pictures - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC TOP

2) Sony Pictures Home Entertainment - Region 2,4,5 - PAL SECOND

3) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Columbia Pictures - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC TOP

2) Sony Pictures Home Entertainment - Region 2,4,5 - PAL SECOND

3) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Columbia Pictures - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC TOP

2) Sony Pictures Home Entertainment - Region 2,4,5 - PAL SECOND

3) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Columbia Pictures - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC TOP

2) Sony Pictures Home Entertainment - Region 2,4,5 - PAL MIDDLE

3) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Columbia Pictures - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC TOP

2) Sony Pictures Home Entertainment - Region 2,4,5 - PAL MIDDLE

3) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Columbia Pictures - Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC TOP

2) Sony Pictures Home Entertainment - Region 2,4,5 - PAL MIDDLE

3) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

More Blu-ray Captures


Indicator (Powerhouse) initial slate of Blu-rays
Spine #001 Spine #002 Spine #003 Spine #004

Spine #005

Spine #006

Spine #008 Spine #010 Spine #012 Spine #013 Spine #019 Spine #020

Box Cover

 

 

 

 

Exact same as the UK edition:

 

 

Re-Re-released by Indicator on Blu-ray in November 2019:

Distribution

Columbia Pictures

Region 1,2,3,4 - NTSC

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Region 2,4,5 - PAL

Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray


 



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Gary Tooze

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